HUMBOLDT PARK — A string of recent package thefts includes one alleged mail thief caught on camera, according to a Humboldt Park resident who said he filmed a man appearing to case his block last week.
A short video taken on Aaron DeRan’s computer shows a man in a Mets hat, blue jacket and black backpack walking back and forth in the 1100 block of North Mozart Street, and DeRan said extended footage reveals a calculated theft routine in progress.
“Somebody had gotten in and really ripped open our packages,” DeRan said, explaining why he began filming the area around his front gate.
“That guy was watching the van the entire the time,” he said of the man in the surveillance video. “As soon as the van stopped, he stopped and watched them drop another package off … then he did it again farther down.”
“It’s a crime of opportunity during the Christmas season,” DeRan added. “He was just following the van.”
Package thefts are a fairly common occurrence if EveryBlock reports are any indication — but the thefts do appear to rise during the holiday season, when surveillance video and photos regularly appear giving warning to residents to be on the lookout.
Here are some tips from the Chicago Police Department to keep your mailed packages safe:
- Be alert for suspicious activity, and call 911 with a description of any people or vehicles involved in package theft (license plate numbers, clothing descriptions, direction of travel, etc.)
- If ordering from stores, request delivery to the store itself and pick up the item there.
- Some package thieves operate by following courier trucks around and immediately stealing packages after drop-off. The longer your packages sit, the more likely they are to be taken.
- Never let anyone follow you into your building unless you know exactly who they are. A polite approach: Tell them you don't have your keys and let them open the door.
- Never buzz anyone into your building unless you know exactly who they are.
- Have the package delivered to your work address or to the courier's pickup station rather than your home.
- Schedule delivery for a day that you know you will be home or to a relative or friend who will be home.
- Require a signature upon receipt for deliveries.
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